Beside me, I heard Ozzie catch his breath. He reached out, his hand ghosting over my arm, a silent plea for me to be careful. But the bridge was already on fire, and I was the one holding the match.
I will do anything to protect what’s fuckingmine.
And that’s my rookie.
9
OZZIE
My hand was shoved deep into the pocket of my hoodie, my thumb pressed firmly against the side of my phone that Henderson and Ryan didn’t know about. I felt the slight vibration through the fabric—the silent confirmation that the recording was still running.
I’d seen the look in Henderson’s eyes during spring training. I’d heard the “old-school” jokes he made when he thought the younger guys weren’t listening. I knew that the moment our secret slipped, he wouldn’t just be a coach; he’d be a hunter. And I knew instantly that he was homophobic.
I stood there, listening to Ryan—my Captain, the man I loved—risk his entire legendary career to defend me. My heart almost cracked with joy when I heard him say I was the man he loved.He loves me…
Every word he spat at Henderson was a nail in his own professional coffin, and yet he didn’t hesitate. But I wasn’t going to let him burn alone.
“It’s okay, Ryan,” I said, my voice steady for the first time since we’d entered the room. I pulled my hand out of my pocket, holding the phone face-up on my palm. The red ‘Record’ timer was ticking: 08:42… 08:43…
Henderson’s eyes dropped to the screen. The purple flush in his face drained instantly, leaving him a sickly shade of grey.
“Why, you little…” He started toward me, but Ryan stepped into his path, his shoulder blocking the Coach completely.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Ryan warned, his voice like grinding stones. “Don’t go near my boyfriend.”
“Everything you just said, Coach,” I said, looking him dead in the eye. “Every word about ‘not tolerating queer players.’ Every threat to my career because of who I am. It’s all right here. High-definition audio. You shouldn’t have said that.”
I tapped the screen, hitting Save and immediately uploading the file to a private cloud folder I’d set up before we left my room. I’ll probably post this on TikTok. Light a fire under his homophobic ass.
“You can’t use that,” Henderson hissed, though his voice was shaking. “This is a private meeting. You’ll be blackballed from the league for recording a superior.”
“Maybe,” I shrugged, feeling a strange, cold calm. “But you’ll be the one explaining to the Commissioner, the press, and the sponsors why the Rock Hills Beavers are led by a man who thinks talent is secondary to prejudice. You think the fans in the Midwest love winning? They love it a lot more than they love a manager who brings a lawsuit and a PR nightmare to their doorstep. Fucking try me.”
10
RYAN
Fuck. I love this new Ozzie. He’s not that scared and shy rookie I used to know. He’s fuck-around-and-find-out Ozzie now. I look back to Henderson.
“We’re done playing your fucking game. We’re gay and proud, and you can’t stop us for being us,” I said, my voice echoing in the small office. I didn’t even look back at Henderson anymore as I grabbed Ozzie’s hand—properly this time, fingers interlaced—and pulled him toward the door. “Let’s go, baby.”
“Ryan, wait—” Henderson called out, his voice cracking, but we were already gone. Fucking loser. He had what was coming.
We didn’t go back to our rooms. We didn’t hide in the stairwell. We walked straight to the hotel’s “Player Lounge,” a large suite where the guys gathered after games to play cards and decompress. I could feel Ozzie’s hand shaking in mine, but he didn’t pull away.
“Ryan?”
“Yeah, baby?”
We both stopped walking and Ozzie looks at me. “I love you too.”
I lean down and kiss him. “Me too, my rookie. Now let’s go see those boys and tell them aboutus.”
We continued walking and when we pushed open the double doors, the room was loud. Miller was leaning over a poker table, a beer in one hand, while a group of pitchers were crowded around a gaming console. The music was thumping.
As we walked in, the room didn’t go silent immediately. It happened in ripples. First, the guys near the door saw our joined hands. Then Miller looked up, his jaw dropping as he saw me—the Captain—standing there withmyrookie, our fingers locked tight.
The music was cut. The only sound was the hum of the city outside the window.